The Folly of Grand and Glorious Causes
by KrimsonKitsu
Summary: Balthazar believed in surviving. Rachel was determined to believe in something more. Nothing too major, just a bit of cuteness between two of heaven's warriors.


It was dark. Unless he was drinking or playing around with some random pretty human girl, he preferred the quiet of the night. It often reminded him of a time, long before these petty power struggle, when he would drag Rachel down to earth. She was one of the few angels left of his generation and sometimes… sometimes he just wanted the company. It never lasted long; they would butt heads- usually about whether or not they should be down there in the first place. He would call her an anal-retentive worry-wort and she would prove his point by winging back up to heaven- back to being God's perfect little solider.

He missed those days. Now, he was wanted by the entire Host of Heaven and while he liked to pretend differently, there were times when he missed the simplicity.

Of course, this life had its perks too. He looked down at the decanter of scotch (only the finest) and smiled. Yes, humans certainly had the market cornered on living life to its fullest; it would be foolish not to follow their fine example.

He raised a glass to the sky and was about to take a drink when a loud crash echoed through the house. With a sigh he set down the glass down and pulled out his angel blade. "I don't know who you are," he called out. "But I have no ties to either side of this civil war, so I would recommend that we part ways here and avoid the bloodshed."

"Balthazar…"

The voice was all too familiar and he saw her slim form stumbling down the hall towards him. Automatically, he met her halfway, his arms outstretched to catch her.

She nearly collapsed against him, her breathing hot against his neck. He caught her automatically, noting the blood staining his hands.

"Rachel?" He said with a surprise. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"T-This was the closest place I could reach…" she panted, clutching his shirt as she struggled to keep upright. "N-no other safe haven…."

"You call me safe?" He joked, even as he helped her limp to one of the chaise loungers. Any one else and he'd be complaining about the blood on his fine Italian leather, but this was Rachel. Pain and the ass or not, she was all he had left.

"You won't let anything happen to me…" she said simply, with all the certainty centuries of precedence had giving her.

"What happened?" he asked, not even bothering to dispute that statement. They had agreed to watch out for one another long ago and even though he had turned his back on heaven, he wasn't about to turn his back on her.

"Got ambushed by Raphael's forces…" she panted, her face tight and pale as he lowered her onto the lounger. "One managed to clip my grace…."

"Oh right, you're the leading lady in Cassie's big theatrical production," he muttered, brushing the bangs from her hair.

"Just because you walked out doesn't mean that you can talk to me like a youngling," she hissed. "This is civil war, Balthazar."

"I know full well what it is, and I don't want any part of it," he replied irritably. He stopped and regarded her with a serious gaze. "My only question is why did you? All these centuries and you pick now to be rebellious? Did Cassie's pretty little speech about free will turn you?"

Rachel closed her eyes. "I… I don't really get it, this free-will he seems so attached to… but he has a plan and it doesn't involve lighting the human world ablaze… I have to believe that he is right… Unlike you. I can't just sit idly by while Raphael restarts the apocalypse."

Balthazar smiled indulgently and kissed his forehead. "Well then, you fight for some grand and glorious cause, and I'll just 'sit idly by' and save your ass when you get the crap beat out of you."

Rachel looked at his, her eyes boring into him. "Balthazar…" She murmured. "Don't you want to fight for something? How can you just… sit on the side-lines?"

Balthazar frowned and sat down next to her. "Because I want to survive," he said softly. "Those who fight for grand and glorious causes usually get to stay alive long enough to see their victory." He nodded to her pointedly. "As your very presence here reaffirms."

Rachel chuckled weakly, "True… but…" she swallowed heavily. "What is the use of living if you have nothing to live for?"

"Oh I don't know… a highly varied sex-life sounds like a pretty good reason to live to me," Balthazar chuckled. "Come on, Rach, you can't tell me that you you've never been curious." He looked down at her roguishly, though his smile slipped slightly. "Sleep well, sister," he said, stroking her hair softly, "Your cause will be waiting for you when you wake up."


End file.
